It is part of our divine gift as humans that we have been largely unconscious in this world. It has been a choice. We have successfully forgotten who we are. This was according to plan. Nonetheless, an unconscious knowing, our subconscious mind, retains all memories of our unlimited grace, power, and joy. And we have needed that. But as part of our forgetting, we have also experienced the entire range of emotions available to us: joy and happiness, surely, but also sadness, grief, anger, hate, jealousy, disgust, and so many others. These emotions are reactions to a perceived reality: we believe that all that we see is separate from ourselves. Because of this belief, we feel justified in being victims, aggressors, and defenders of our beliefs.

As our emotions are reactions to the world, so are our thoughts. With forgetting who we are, with believing that we are all really separate from one another, we form judgements. We believe that others can be "wrong," or that others are causing us harm in some way. We believe ourselves to be independent islands, navigating a world filled with other independent islands, jostling each other, fighting each other, loving each other, having some fun, experiencing some pain, and generally getting by the best that we can.

So this premise, in which we hold false beliefs about ourselves, has been an amazing catalyst for spiritual growth for not only the souls involved, but for the Universe as a whole. Why? Because there is no separation, and what one soul learns, the whole receives.

The world we have created here, with our fractured view of ourselves, is one of duality: me/you, right/wrong, good/evil, left/right—even our physical brain is divided into two hemispheres, with two very different roles. We have learned to balance these things. We have all experienced both sides to every coin. It's what we signed up for. And we have become masters of duality, and this has driven us throughout history.

Yet it is change that has driven our spiritual evolution—big change. Barbara Marx Hubbard says in her film, "Humanity Ascending," that we must "Evolve or die." We have done this in the past; we are doing it now. We are good at it. It is our strength. So when we are finally ready to face the really tough challenges, we find solutions. We persevere. We excel. We find ourselves in such times now.

In the past, we have, as a race, subscribed to dualistic spiritualities, as well. God/devil; angels/demons; my religion/your religion. Each major religion has been the keeper of certain esoteric truths, but each has also been a mirror of our own divided minds, sowing the seeds of judgement and separation. This has served its purpose. It was always part of the game, and the pearls of truth were always there for the finding. But now we are at a crossroads.

We find ourselves in a place where the old ways no longer work. Our economy, which served only a small, wealthy elite, no longer works. Our religions no longer satisfy. Our communities are disconnected and no longer serve the people who live there. Our old ways of thinking, our old consciousness about ourselves and the way we perceive the world, no longer works. Duality itself no longer works.

We are all being asked to remember who we are again. We are all being asked to step into our power as co-creators with God. We are being called to let go of our illusory ego, which never existed, and to expand into a greater space and a greater consciousness. It's time to take off the blindfold.

The human race has reached the final level in the Human Game, as Robert Scheinfeld says. There is no more to be done in duality. We have mastered the game, and the game is ending—so that a new one can begin.

We are now going through an intense period of evolution and learning. Some people will handle this better than others. New knowledge is pouring into all of us. You could say that we are experiencing a major software upgrade. Our emotions are a major part of this upgrade. Just as we are learning new ways to think and a new consciousness, we are learning new ways to feel. We must open our heart chakras to the higher vibrations so that we can expand into the space of compassion and unconditional love for others. The barriers that make us seem separate are fading away.

We are entering a period of profound hope. As we adapt to the changes that are occurring energetically in the world, we are opening ourselves to our own divinity. We are the conduits for bringing the Divine into our world and transforming it.

Change, though necessary, can bring its share of anxiety and growing pains. In the short term, we will experience a number of challenges. We must eliminate the things that do not work, so that we can replace them with things that do. The angels and ascended masters know this, and they are here to help. It is not necessary for anyone to experience a painful transition. Release any beliefs that you may have about change being painful. It will only cause you pain if you believe it must.

To get through this time of change, it is necessary for all of us to shift our consciousness. In the past, if you lost a job, you looked for a similar job at a similar company. This may no longer work. Some industries need to change radically; some may disappear altogether. Your heart has the answer, though. What does your heart tell you that you really want out of life? That is God and the angels, helping you. You may not think that there could possibly be a viable business plan in what gives you joy, but think again. And think yet again. Imagine your dream job. Create it. Stability and success isn't about "working for the man," necessarily. Do what you love, and abundance will follow. This same holds true in all areas of your life. You may think you only see three options in front of you, but have you turned your head to the side to see the shining fourth option? Or the twentieth?

The vibration has been increasing steadily for years. This is why change is intensifying. Some will say it's all "going to hell in a handbasket." This is fear-mongering. Don't listen to it. Everything is healing. When you make a soup, the scum rises to the top first. All that is dark is now visible. People are waking up. If you're reading this, you've heard the call. You know. We're waking up on a massive scale. We are starting to remember our Oneness. Duality, which was always an illusion, is becoming a memory.

As we remember our Oneness, we can no longer accept inequities and injustices, and we can no longer enable a system that allows others to suffer needlessly. This awareness is spurring a Renaissance the likes of which we have never seen before. New ideas combined with our compassion will enable us to build a world that will truly serve everyone. Along the way, it may be tempting to focus on the things we have lost, instead of on the things we are gaining. Some things in our civilization will go away. It is inevitable, and the higher good requires it. But this will only make room for the new. Don't mourn for the dysfunctional past; see the gifts of our present, and the promise of our future.

Our future can be whatever we imagine. The world is our oyster. We must treat it and each other with love and respect, but we are unlimited in our capacity to create a joyful, abundant society that serves everyone. Can you imagine a world filled with love and respect? Can you imagine a world in which there is enough food, warmth, clothing, shelter, and joy for everyone? Can you imagine a world that truly exists in peace? Can you imagine never feeling lack for anything ever again? Can you imagine paradise on Earth? A return to Eden?

If you can't imagine these things, you are limiting yourself. You have built your own cage. John Lennon said, "You may think I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." Nothing is impossible. It is only our belief in limitations that holds us back. And it is this belief that we as a race must release in order to play in the new game that is coming.

The message from our collective inner child is to prepare ourselves for new birth—not just for the planet's ascension, or society's ascension, but for our own personal ascension. We are all giving birth on every level, and our great Mother is the planet itself, Gaia. She reminds us that there is enough for everyone, and there always has been. We do not need to feel lack or want any more. In particular, we don't need to feel lack in our emotional selves. We are not alone. We are never alone. We are all prodigal sons and daughters, precious and loved unconditionally. Open to that love. Accept it for yourself. It is the only true healing.

The power animal for this reading is Salmon. I live in the Pacific Northwest, where Salmon has fulfilled its cycle for countless thousands of years. Through mismanagement, however, its numbers are severely reduced, and it is in crisis. Salmon returns every year to the place of its creation, to create anew. It comes full circle, and we as a race must do the same. In releasing the things that do not serve, we must return to the things that do. We know what they are. Sustainable growth, sustainable food production, living in harmony with the land. We know how to do these things already. Our technology can be employed to make this even easier. So what are we waiting for? We must return to our origin, and not just in how we relate to the physical world. We must return to our spiritual origins, as well. We must return to the Source of All There Is. We must return to ourselves and, like Salmon, create anew.